Some iPhone users have noticed Bluetooth connection issues after updating their device to iOS 18, often presenting as a connection dropout or inability to connect to Bluetooth devices, regardless of whether those Bluetooth devices are compatible. -speakers, hearing aids, headphones, car stereo systems or even game controllers.

Often you can fix Bluetooth problems simply by switch Bluetoothby restarting an iPhone by turning it off and on again, or by turning the Bluetooth device itself off and on. But we’re going to assume that you’ve already tried this, without success, and are still having issues with Bluetooth connections in iOS 18. In that case, read on to learn a proven method to fix Bluetooth issues on iPhone.

Fix Bluetooth connection issues with iOS 18

Before following the Bluetooth troubleshooting steps below, make sure to install all available iOS system software updates on the iPhone. Known bugs will be fixed by Apple with software updates.

You can update your iPhone by going to Settings > General > Software Update and installing everything available.

Once your iPhone is updated to the latest available version of iOS 18.1 (or later), here’s how to troubleshoot Bluetooth connection issues:

1. Go to the “Settings” app, then go to Bluetooth and turn Bluetooth off (you can also Turn off Bluetooth in iOS 18 by tapping the small blue Bluetooth icon in Control Center)
2. Now, in the same Bluetooth menu, tap the (i) button next to the devices you want to connect to but are not working as expected.
3. Tap “Forget this device” to remove the Bluetooth device from your connections list
4. Now restart the iPhone with a force restart, by pressing Volume Up, Volume Down, and then long press the Power button until the Apple logo  appears on the screen.
5. When iPhone restarts, go back to the Settings app and go back to “Bluetooth”
6. Turn the Bluetooth switch back on
7. Now find the Bluetooth device(s) you want to connect to and start the pairing process again.

At this point, the iPhone should be successfully connected to the Bluetooth device again.

Simply unpair, reboot, then pair the Bluetooth device again, which usually fixes

If for some reason you still have Bluetooth connection issues or the devices are not working as expected, you can Check out these general Bluetooth troubleshooting tips and fixes.

Although it is frustrating to experience connectivity issues, like this with Bluetooth or with the wifi turns on by itself or having connection difficulties, this is not a completely unknown behavior either. Often after a major system software update, a group of users will encounter quirks and connectivity issues which, fortunately, are usually quite easy to fix with troubleshooting tips like those detailed here.

Have you encountered unexpected Bluetooth issues with iPhone and iOS 18? Did the tips here help you resolve the issue? Did you find another solution? Share your experiences with us in the comments.

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